ICPD beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum

Date:

Start in 04 Dec 2012End in 06 Dec 2012

Location:

Indonesia

Youth Rights at the Heart of Development

Forty-three percent of the world’s population is currently under 25 - and the number of young people is rising fastest in those parts of the world with the lowest economic growth. The ICPD Programme of Action made the needs of youth a priority and yet in all countries of the world, progress on youth issues is lagging.

Today’s youth are more connected and tuned in to the world than any generation before. They are growing up fast, in a world that is changing even faster. Fortunately for all of us, young people see the challenges before them in fresh ways and are responding with enthusiasm and imagination. Young people have the potential to transform the social and economic fortunes of their communities, particularly in least developed countries.

With the right investments, today’s young people can reach their full potential as individuals, leaders and agents of progress. And the world clearly needs their energy, their participation and their skills. But delivering that transformation takes partnership action on health, education, employment, sexual and reproductive health and a commitment to real civic engagement.

Depsite their enormous stake in the future, youth voices have not been part of the mainstrean development debate. The ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Youth Forum, in Bali from Dec 4-6 2012 aims to address this. Through a partnership of UN agencies, young people, civil society and the private sector the Forum aims to translate the participatory goals of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development into a sustainable youth advocacy movement.

Led by young people for young people and contributing directly to the process of defining future development goals, the Global Youth Forum will give young people a stronger voice. Over 900 delegates will agree on global recommendations for action on five crucial issues:

Michelle is a a Fulbright scholar from Papua New Guinea (PNG) who is currently undertaking graduate studies in Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She studies animal and poultry science and is majoring as well in chicken genetics and genomics.

Keron Bascombe is YPARD Trinidad and Tobago representative. Besides, Keron is an active young professional in agriculture seeking a career in agricultural journalism and communications. As a blogger and freelance writer, he is currently transforming his blog “technology4agri” into a social enterprise featuring journalistic pieces in support of agriculture.

Alpha Sennon is a young Agricultural Expansionist and an innovative farmer from Trinidad and Tobago. His area of research lies within privatization of extension services in the Caribbean region. Besides, Alpha owns the company AgriWorks4U, where he provides specialized contractual labor for farmers hiring only young professionals.

Luke Smith is currently pursuing a MSc. in Agribusiness and Marketing in the area of Food & Nutrition Security at the University of the West Indies, St Augustine. He is also an agriculture blogger, photographer and animator.

Jean-Claude Kamwenubusa is the founder and President of the Association pour la Solidarité et l’Assistance Socio-Sanitaire. He has 2 diplomas in General Humanities and in Gender Equality, Economic Development and Poverty Reduction, delivered by the World Bank Institute (WBI). He is currently studying to get his bachelor’s degree in Communication at the University of Lake Tanganyika, Burundi.

Akintunde Akinmolayan graduated in Agriculture with specialization in Crop Protection in August 2006. In June 2009, he did a M.Sc. in Agricultural Economics and Farm Management. Afterwards, in April 2011, he started working as Project Co-ordinator of CDNet Ltd/Gte, then, in January 2014 started project managing the Education Hub of Incubator Africa. Currently he works at Temitope Farms.

Moses Owiny is a Gender and ICT enthusiast who has been engaged in the promotion of ICTs and agriculture and rural development initiatives for four years. He is currently working as a Project Officer with the Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) in Kampala, Uganda.